


Tradition

by literaryoblivion



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Human Castiel, Humor, M/M, Traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-26
Updated: 2013-12-26
Packaged: 2018-01-06 04:13:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1102268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literaryoblivion/pseuds/literaryoblivion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean might not admit it, but he’d do anything for that naïve and oblivious ex-angel. Sam just hopes Cas appreciates it because if he has to look up any more traditions on Dean’s request, he’s going to scream.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> This was posted as part of the [12 Days of Destiel](http://12daysofdestiel.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr. The post can be found [here](http://12daysofdestiel.tumblr.com/post/71029017005/author-literaryoblivion-a-n-much-like).
> 
> I’m writing in a parallel universe where Kevin is still alive, Cas is still human, and Ezekiel is dormant. Because I DO WHAT I WANT.

“Dean, I know you mean well, but there is no way we can finish everything on this list.” 

Dean ignores Sam as he walks past him carrying a box filled with candles of various shapes, colors, and sizes. 

“Dean,” Sam says when Dean walks past again on his return trip. He is on his way back up the stairs to exit the bunker, but Sam calls his name again, making him stop and turn. 

“You can accomplish anything if you really put your mind to it, Sammy,” Dean says with a cheeky grin before continuing his ascent up the stairs and outside to the Impala, which is filled to the brim with various Christmas décor and groceries. 

Sam follows him out because if he can’t stop his brother from taking things too far, he might as well help him out to lighten the burden. He knows Dean has kind of gone a little crazy about this whole Christmas thing, and really it is Cas’s fault. 

Dean might not admit it, but he’d do anything for that naïve and oblivious ex-angel. Sam just hopes Cas appreciates it because if he has to look up any more traditions on Dean’s request, he’s going to scream. 

***

It was around Thanksgiving, and the gang was spread out in the living room. Dean had the TV on, the football game on the screen on mute, and Sam was taking a nap in the nearby recliner. Kevin was at the table reading, possibly researching something, but he had been quiet for the last hour. Castiel was reading as well, sitting on the couch with Dean and looking quite good in one of Dean’s old T-shirts.

Ezekiel hadn’t popped up for a long while, even when Dean had asked for him to a confused and bewildered Sam. Dean didn’t know if he should be worried about that, but he was taking his small wins when he could, so he ignored his negative thoughts on the subject.

Everything else had been rather quiet. It happened sometimes in life. There’d be lulls, spaces of time when there was nothing to kill or hunt, or all they could do was wait or research until they had a breakthrough or another clue. It didn’t always happen during a national holiday though, and Dean was grateful for the chance to sit down and relax with a beer and be with Cas and Sam and Kevin. Heck he was even glad Crowley was still around. The guy had been nice, even, ever since his “one phone call,” and they let him come out and surface for air every once in a while.

With the TV still on mute, Dean flipped through the channels. Most of them were other football games, the rebroadcast of Thanksgiving parades, made-for-TV Christmas movies. A news broadcast came up, and the graphic for the story caught his eye; the caption read “Thanksgivukkah.” He unmuted it to see what it was about but kept the volume down. Cas had looked up at the sound and put down his book to watch. Apparently the first day of Hanukkah was also the same day as Thanksgiving this year because of some odd cosmic aligning of calendars or something. 

Cas had made a comment that Hannukah was an interesting holiday, one that he admired for its traditions and rituals. Dean had asked if he wanted to do something for it, but Cas had shook his head, that it wasn’t necessary. He was only making conversation, he said, something he hadn’t done much of since Dean had found him again and made him come back to the bunker with him.

That night, Dean had tried to make latkes, key word being tried, for Cas and found some used candles in one of the storerooms of the bunker. It was a rather pathetic attempt at trying to celebrate the Jewish holiday, but Cas’s whole face lit up when Dean had brought them out to him. And when Dean gave him a bag of chocolate coins and a dreidel he had picked up along with the ingredients for the latkes, Castiel had given him the biggest hug and the sincerest thank you. 

And Dean didn’t want to let go. 

***

Seeing Cas so happy at such a small and simple gesture had convinced Dean to enact his current plan. He had recruited Sam for help, because Sam was the token researcher and of course he’d love to scour the Internet for obscure Christmas traditions because didn’t he love Dean? Didn’t he want to cheer Cas up? 

In an attempt to get Dean back, Sam had suggested they do some pagan/winter solstice ones, too. Of course, it had backfired, and Dean told him that was a great idea and he loved it, saying the more the better.

This means that now Sam is stuck making paper lanterns because that is apparently a thing people do to celebrate it.

“Dean, where are we going to put these? Also, I am _not_ going to light these every night. There’s like forty here.”

“We can line them along the stairs or something. And you don’t have to light them all… just some,” Dean says as he pulls out a batch of sugar cookies from the oven. Sam has watched Dean make so many cookies and candies and Christmas-y themed desserts that it no longer fazes him how domestic his brother is being.

“Dean,” Kevin says as he walks into the kitchen, a handful of vegetables in his arms, “these still look like radishes, and I don’t think I’m going to be able to make them look like a whole nativity scene no matter how many pictures you give me. Why are you even making me do this?” He drops the half chopped and mangled roots onto the table. Some roll towards the lanterns Sam is making, and he eyes them wearily.

“Because carving radishes into nativities is something they do in Oaxaca, Mexico,” Sam answers.

“Yeah,” Dean adds, “what he said.” Kevin gives him a confused face, but Dean doesn’t see it because he’s too busy putting in the next batch of cookies. 

Dejected, Kevin pulls out the chair next to Sam and plops down. Sam pats him on the shoulder and gives him an understanding nod and pushes a stack of paper bags in front of Kevin. If he can’t carve radishes, he can help make luminarios.

In a conspiratorial whisper, Kevin leans over and asks, “Why are we doing all this? And how much more stuff is there?” 

Sam just shrugs and picks up “the list” resting on the table and hands it to Kevin. There’s several things crossed off of it, but there’s so many that aren’t. Kevin groans as he keeps staring at it. 

“I don’t care that they do it in Venezuela, I am _not_ rollerskating to a midnight mass,” Kevin mutters loud enough for Sam to hear.

“ _That’s_ the one you won’t do?” Sam asks, his eyebrows high. Kevin scrunches up his eyebrows, and Sam urges him with his eyes to keep reading. When Kevin sees it, his eyes grow as large as saucers, and he looks mortified like whatever he’s pictured in his head can’t be unseen. Sam chuckles, “Rollerskating is nothing compared to that.” 

Kevin slowly sets the list down on the table in shock and looks up at Dean who has come over to check on the lantern-making progress. Dean gives him a “what?” look and snaps his fingers because Kevin still hasn’t reacted. 

“Dude?” Dean says waving his hand in front of Kevin’s face.

“I think you broke him,” Sam says.

Seeming to come back to himself, Kevin finally speaks. “Dean. I am _not_ doing that.”

“Doing what?” 

“That,” Kevin says pointing to the list. Dean looks down and when he recognizes what offending item Kevin is referring to he frowns.

“Whole families do it in Estonia…,” Dean says, sounding a little dejected. 

“We’re not _in_ Estonia!” Kevin says, his voice pitched higher than usual. “We are in the great _U. S. of A.,_ and no way in hell am I going to be in a sauna _naked_ with any of you people.”

Dean sighs, “Okay, fine. I wasn’t planning on doing that one anyway. Where are we going to find a sauna that’s open on Christmas Eve?” Kevin gives him a bewildered look like he can’t believe Dean had even contemplated it enough to think of that. “But this Austria one with the Krampus. Don’t you think we can just make Crowley do it?”

Sam shakes his head. “Dean, I know you want to do a lot of these, but some of the ones we’ve done have ended in disaster.”

***

After the rather small and abysmal impromptu Hanukah celebration, Dean had decided he was going to go all out for Christmas. He thought of the usual things, wreaths, Christmas tree, nativities, gingerbread houses, stockings, Christmas movies, and paper snowflakes. But while those were all well and good, he knew he needed to do something more. Castiel had been an angel, had observed humans and their traditions for years from all over the world. Dean needed to expand his definition of Christmas traditions. He recruited Sam to help find ones from all over the world.

Dean started off small. He picked up a few decorations and supplies at the store and brought them back to the bunker with glee. He went out the next day and chopped down a tree (something which Sam didn’t even want to think about what law he probably broke in doing so) and dragged it in through the garage.

Despite the questionable way in which it was acquired, the tree made everyone feel a little more at home. They spent the rest of the day decorating it with the store-bought ornaments Dean had got, along with some paper chain garland Kevin made. Dean taught Cas had to make paper snowflakes, and they hung them up on the tree and around the bunker.

Once the tree was complete, they made gingerbread houses from a few kits Dean had also picked up while they watched _Elf_ and _National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation_ , both of which Cas did not find as funny as Dean, Sam, or Kevin. Since it had been a success, Dean moved on to a few other traditions to less than ideal results.

He tried doing Elf on a Shelf, but Cas hadn’t understood the point and thought it was disturbing, so the elf got put in Crowley’s cell after the second day (much to Dean’s glee and Crowley’s whining). Dean had picked up a few advent calendars, but the two he bought that had chocolate in it no longer had chocolate in it after the first week. (“Are you sure there’s supposed to be chocolate in the rest of them, Dean?” “Yes, Cas, there is. It’s a freakin’ chocolate advent calendar. And don’t give me that faux innocent look. You have chocolate smeared on your chin.”) The other calendars that required you to move something had been forgotten after the 15th of December.

The most disastrous tradition they had attempted however involved Jesus.

Dean had picked up the cheapest nativity set he could find because yeah the group might not be religious especially with Cas not being an angel anymore. But Dean still knew Cas prayed every once in awhile, and maybe having a nativity would remind Cas of the good times of his past?

Well that and everyone else had traditions that involved nativities, and if he was going all out, he wasn’t going to half-ass it.

One of these traditions involved hiding the baby Jesus. It’s not hard to imagine that this turned into a fiasco. 

Dean hid it at first, but he must not have hid it as well as he thought because the next morning, the baby Jesus figurine was back in its manger safe and secure. So, Dean tried to hide it again, and when Sam came out of the bathroom with it held in his hand and a disgusted look on his face, Dean couldn’t stop laughing. Sam claimed he could do a better job, and it quickly became a challenge. 

Whoever found the baby Jesus would try to hide it in a better place. That was until Kevin found it and decided he could smoke them all.

And smoke them all he did.

Literally.

Kevin had unknowingly hid the cheap plastic figurine near a heat source, and eventually amid the smoke and more than likely toxic melting plastic fumes, they _all_ found the baby Jesus.

What was left of it anyway.

*** 

“Hey, I wasn’t the advanced placement student that decided to hide a flammable object next to the heater, okay?” Dean says, his eyes narrowed pointedly at Kevin.

“How many times do I have to tell you? I didn’t know that was the heater!” Kevin shouts.

“I think because of prior incidents, we should just rule out all of these that involve fire,” Sam says. 

Dean pouts. “But this Iraq one where they jump over the ashes of a bonfire and make a wish sounds fun. I already gathered all the wood for it.”

Sam glares at him. “No, Dean. And all of these candle ones are out, too. I don’t want to take any chances.”

“Fine,” Dean says in a huff, going back to his tray of cooling cookies and candy. 

“Are we just going to eat cookies for dinner, or we doing the Japanese tradition and getting a bucket of KFC chicken?” Kevin asks. 

“You do that on Christmas Eve?” Sam asks, genuinely curious. 

Kevin squares Sam with a look like he wants to punch him in the face. “People in _Japan_ do, according to the list. I wouldn’t know because _I’m_ not Japanese.” Kevin looks like he’s about ready to go on a rant about how people just assume things because he looks Asian and how not all Asian people are Chinese or Japanese, but Dean jumps in before he can start.

“Uh, no. I checked, and KFC closed early today, so that one’s out. I’ve got a ham I’m sticking in as soon as these cookies are done. I already made all the sides this morning, so we just gotta reheat them.” Dean beams with pride at his culinary talents.

Both Sam and Kevin just shake their heads and go back to making lanterns, lanterns that they aren’t going to be lighting now. Kevin gives the radishes one last farewell look before gathering them up and throwing them away in the trash. He purposefully ignores the disappointed look Dean shoots his way when he does. He sidles back into his seat next to Sam and takes a look at this list to see what else he can do.

Kevin leans over to Sam again and whispers, “Where’s Cas? Is he going to help with any of this?”

***

Despite how much work and time and money Dean was spending to do all these different things to celebrate the season, Cas had seemed confused at the start. He enjoyed spending time with Dean, Sam, and Kevin, but he didn’t quite comprehend the reason as to why he had to leave his shoe by the fireplace.

“But I need my shoes, Dean.”

“It’s just for one night, Cas. You don’t sleep with them on, do you?”

“No, but…” 

“I’m leaving my shoe, too, and then tomorrow when we come to get them, it’ll be filled with candy.”

Cas gave him a puzzled look. “But, there was candy amongst the groceries you brought in. Why would I need more in my shoe?” 

“Gah, no, Cas, that’s not—See in Germany, the kids leave their shoe out by the fireplace and then it gets filled with candy and little toys, kind of like how our stockings do?”

“That’s the purpose of these rather large socks?” Cas asked flicking the stocking hanging off the mantel. “Alright, Dean. I’ll leave it, but I don’t particularly like candy. You can have mine.” Cas handed Dean his shoe and turned and walked off to the direction of his bedroom. 

Sam had come in at the end of their conversation and chuckled at Dean.

“You’re going to have to explain this stuff to Cas. Tell him why we’re doing all this.” Dean’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “Dean, this isn’t going to mean anything if he doesn’t know you’re doing this for him.” 

“Who says that’s why I’m doing it?” Dean asked defensively.

Sam rolled his eyes. “You know it is, and I know it is. Kevin might not know, but he’ll catch on eventually.” 

“Maybe I just want us to have a nice Christmas for once in our life.”

Sam sighed. “I know.” Sam set his own shoe on the fireplace. “You need to tell him.” Then Sam disappeared back out of the room.

*** 

Dean doesn’t say anything until he forces Sam to dress up like a witch with a broom between his legs to deliver a tray of the cookies he made to Cas.

“I’m only going to do this if you tell Cas what the hell is going on.” Dean opens his mouth to speak, but Sam presses on. “No. I mean it. Cas is going along with it because of you, so is Kevin. I’m only doing this because of you, too ‘cause I know why you want to do it. Don’t give me that look. I know you care about Cas and want to make his first mortal Christmas special. I do, too. But just making him do all this stuff and giving him candy and cookies isn’t going to mean anything to him.”

Dean lets out a huff and lowers his eyes to the floor. His brother is right, and he can’t bear to look at him. He thought Cas would get the whole tradition thing, but maybe Cas hadn’t been as observant of humans as he had let on. Or maybe he’s forgotten after his grace was gone? Dean doesn’t really know what Cas remembers, actually, because he hasn’t talked to him. He’s been doing all these nice things for him, but he hasn’t known if it’s helping Cas at all or if he even likes it.

He leaves Sam in his wig and fake nose to find Castiel.

He finds Cas sitting in the library, staring at the lights on the Christmas tree. “Hey, Cas.”

“Hello, Dean,” Cas replies, nodding when Dean motions to the seat next to him.

“So, how are you liking Christmas so far?” Dean asks because he might as well get to the point. 

“It’s been… interesting.” Cas looks up as if trying to remember something. “I enjoyed the gingerbread houses and the snowflakes,” Cas adds when he glances at Dean whose face looks a little crestfallen after his “interesting” comment.

“Do you like the different things we did from the other countries?” 

Cas nods. “A few, yes. Although, I’m not sure how Balthazar convinced people he was a magi in Spain.”

“Or rode a donkey to deliver gifts?”

Cas laughs and bobs his head in agreement. 

“Well, wait till you see this next one. The children of Italy are a brave bunch.”

“Dean…” 

“Yeah, Cas?”

“You don’t… I mean I understand that you are trying to do many things from other cultures, and I have enjoyed it, I have. But… you don’t have to keep it up on my account.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I overheard you and Sam. I know you’re just doing this because I’m human now. I appreciate the gesture, but it isn’t necessary.” His voice sounds sad and weary, like he’s only just now realizing the implications of being human.

Dean scoots closer to Cas and lays a comforting hand on his knee. “It’s part of it, yeah, but I thought it’d be good for all of us. Get our minds off of things… have fun.” Cas doesn’t comment, just shifts his eyes from Dean to his hand. It doesn’t seem like he’s bothered by his hand being on his knee, but Dean doesn’t seem to be good at reading Cas anymore.

He pats his knee and stands up. “Come on, Cas. I’ve got so much more on the list we have to get done before we eat.” Cas gazes up at Dean and looks like he wants to protest or say something, but he remains silent and follows Dean out of the library.

Sam is there waiting in the hallway. He’s still wearing the wig and nose, but the broom is now in his hand, a tray of cookies in the other. Cas accepts the cookies with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes and moves past Sam toward the kitchen. Sam gives Dean a questioning look, to which Dean shakes his head. 

~ 

As it turns out, Dean must have their little rag-tag group, Crowley included, confused with a fifty-man army because there is so much food left over once they’ve all stuffed themselves silly. Just the thought of keeping it to eat later makes all of them sick. Castiel suggests that they bag the leftovers and see if they can give it to those that might need it while they go out to look at lights. Dean acquiesces and wraps up the leftovers to take with them. Sam, Kevin, and Cas help with the cleanup and dishes, Sam sneakily pocketing the coins they had put under their plates for luck, a custom in the Czech Republic. 

Once the gang is bundled up and ready to go look at lights, it is late, and Dean is antsy. He has things on the list still that he wants to get to before they are too tired to do them. He practically shoves them all out the door of the bunker and into the Impala so they can be on their way to a neighborhood decked out in Christmas lights.

On the drive they do come across a homeless shelter, with a few people milling around outside of it that look like they could use some meat on their bones. It’s the one thing Dean’s okay with stopping for because he knows how hard it was for Cas during the brief period of time when he was homeless, being attacked by countless angels. Or he at least thinks he knows because Cas still hasn’t talked about it much. Dean gets out of the car with Cas, and they pass out their leftover food to a few people who look so grateful to have something to eat. It makes Dean feel good, and he and Cas share a brief heart-warming moment before they return to Sam and Kevin in the car.

The moment is short-lived because once they are on the road again and stuck in traffic, because everyone else is trying to look at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve as well, Dean gets anxious again. He finds a parking spot on the side of the street, and they all tumble out of the car to look at lights on foot. Sam, Kevin, and Cas pause every few houses to admire the view, but Dean keeps walking. He only stops when they are far enough behind him for it to be awkward, and he taps his foot in impatience as he waits for them to catch up to him, only to repeat the routine. 

The third time he’s huffing while waiting for the rest of them to sidle up next to him, Sam looks angry, and Cas seems even more so. When Dean goes to walk ahead of them again, Cas pulls on his arm to hold him back, waving for Kevin and Sam to go on ahead.

“Dean, what is your big hurry? You’re not even looking at these lights?” 

Dean stares at his feet and shrugs but doesn't answer. 

Cas sighs. "Dean, what's going on? If you didn't want to look at the lights, why did we come?"

"It's a tradition!" Dean snaps. 

Cas crosses his arms in front of him. "Is it also tradition for you to rush everyone?" He pauses long enough to see Dean's shoulders sag with guilt. "Is that why you are being so impatient with us? Because you want to cross off more of the traditions?" Cas ducks his head to catch Dean's eye.

"Maybe," Dean mumbles. "Yes."

Cas steps closer to Dean, forcing him to look at him instead of at the ground.

"Dean, I already told you that it isn't necessary to continue the traditions for my sake." Dean opens his mouth to protest, but Cas continues on. "Thank you for doing them. I have enjoyed them. But... Isn't it a tradition to spend time with those you love and enjoy their company?"

Dean's eyes widen and he slowly nods his head in agreement. He rubs the back of his neck with his hand. "Sorry, Cas, I got—" Cas holds up a hand to stop him and shakes his head like it isn't a big deal, that he understands because he does. He might not understand a lot of things about being human or it's conditions, but Dean is always the one thing Cas gets. It might take him awhile to arrive at the right conclusion, but he does and wholly understands Dean and where he's coming from. It's overwhelming to have someone that can have that kind of connection, and Dean has it with Sam and Cas. But with Cas it means something slightly different, and although he's contemplated what that difference is, Dean's not sure if it's just wishful thinking on his part or not.

Cas gives Dean a small private smile. "That's the only tradition I care about, that’s important," Cas says, stepping back from Dean and extending his gloved hand to Dean. "Shall we finish looking at the lights?"

Dean gazes down at Cas's inviting hand and thinks maybe it's not wishful thinking after all. 

"Yeah," Dean says accepting Cas's hand. "Let's go catch up."

Cas and Dean take their time admiring the lights and the decor. They do eventually meet up with Sam and Kevin, who don't comment on the fact Dean and Cas are still holding hands. For the first time since they decorated the Christmas tree at the beginning of the month, Dean is relaxed and comfortable. 

He feels guilty that he had been so caught up in doing everything on the list that he forgot the real reason why he wanted to do them in the first place. It's because he wanted to be with Cas, and he should have known Cas would have liked the simple gestures more than the elaborate, extravagant ones. He doesn't think Cas is too mad anymore, not when he hasn't let go of his hand the whole time they were looking at lights.

When they finally arrive back home, Kevin pulls out his cello, the one thing he'd bought to entertain himself while in the bunker, and plays a few carols. They all gather around him and sing along, and after hearing Crowley belt it out too, Sam decides to be nice and let him out for a while to join them. 

They don't make the ideal picture of Christmas, but it fits. After singing all the songs Kevin knows how to play, Sam reads them 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. Cas snuggles up on the couch with Dean, pressing into his side, Dean's arm around his shoulders.

Dean ignores the questioning glances Kevin sends his way and the exaggerated eye rolls from Crowley. Sam finishes the story with a yawn and says he's taking Crowley back and then going to bed. Kevin agrees to help and wishes them all a merry Christmas and a good night before he follows Sam and Crowley out of the room. 

Cas is still curled up on the couch with Dean, and Dean thinks Cas might be asleep until Cas mumbles something against his shoulder.

"What was that?" 

Cas moves his head so his mouth isn't blocked. "I'm sorry we didn't get everything crossed off." 

"That's okay. There's always next year."

Cas chuckles but it quickly turns into a yawn. Dean sits up, pulling Cas with him. "Come on, let's get you to bed or else Santa won't come," Dean says. 

"You're not making Kevin dress up in a beard and red suit are you?"

Dean lets out a loud laugh. "Uh, no. I was going to make Crowley do it..." Cas gives him a horrified look. "I'm kidding Cas. No one is dressing up." Dean helps Cas off the couch, and Cas intertwines their fingers as they move down the hallway. 

Further ahead in the doorway, there's something hanging, and as they get closer, Dean recognizes the familiar green leaves and white berries. In his head he starts to curse Sam because this must have been his idea. Dean had specifically left mistletoe off the list so as to avoid any awkward run-ins, but now he and Cas were going to be under it and.... Maybe if they just keep walking and Dean doesn't draw attention to it, Cas won't notice or ask about it.

Dean stiffens as he walks forcing himself to keep looking forward, but Cas notices the change.

"Is something wrong?" 

"What? No! Just, you know, tired is all," Dean splutters and then gives an exaggerated yawn and stretch to prove just how tired he is.

Cas shakes his head. "You noticed the mistletoe," Cas says matter of fact. 

Dean opens his mouth to say something like, 'Mistletoe? What's that? I have no idea what you are talking about.' Cas looks up at the offending plant, and Dean can't help but follow his gaze. They are standing together directly underneath it. Dean blushes and nervously rubs the back of his neck.

"I uh don't know how that got there, Cas, but--"

"I had Sam put it up."

"You what?!" 

"Isn't it an important tradition?"

"Yeah, but--"

"I was a little disappointed when I didn't see it on the list. It was one tradition I was looking forward to," Cas says, taking a step closer to Dean and gazing at him through his eyelashes. Damn when did Cas get so flirty? 

Two can play at that game. "Why is that?" Dean asks knowing full well what Cas is trying to get at.

"So I could have an excuse to do this," Cas says before he wraps a hand around the back of Dean's neck and pulls him into a kiss. 

It doesn't last long, much to Dean's disappointment, but when they break apart, both of them are grinning like fools.

"You didn't need an excuse, Cas."

"I'll keep that in mind for the future," Cas says with a smirk, taking Dean's hand and leading him back to their bedrooms. 

~

He might not have asked Santa for it, but Dean wakes up to the best Christmas present in the world: a sleeping Castiel in his arms.

**Author's Note:**

> The lovely art was drawn by [Jazz](http://once-upon-a-time-the-end.tumblr.com/); the Tumblr post for her art can be found [here](http://12daysofdestiel.tumblr.com/post/71029030135/artist-once-upon-a-time-the-end-read-the-fic).
> 
> Come say hello and fangirl with me on my [Tumblr](http://literaryoblivion.tumblr.com)!


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